Happily Ever After
by IWantColouredRain
Summary: AU George and Marigold Potter choose names for their children.


**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the names and Acacia**

September 16th, 2003

Mari groaned as she sat down heavily on the couch. "How much longer?"

"Two weeks," George replied, smiling sympathetically at his wife. "Not long."

"Easy for you to say," Mari retorted. "I'm the one carrying this kid, not you."

George wrapped his arm around her and rubbed her shoulders as she laid her head on his shoulder. "It'll all be worth it when you're holding our beautiful baby in your arms."

Mari nodded. "Yeahh, I suppose." She was quiet for a minute. "We haven't talked about names."

George blinked. "Well I figured you'd want to name them after your parents."

Mari sat up so she could look at them. "I thought about it." She admitted. "But while I want to honour Mum and Dad, I don't want our kids to need to live in their shadows." "What do you mean?"

Mari bit her lip as she tried to explain it. "I'm always gonna be the 'Woman-Who-Won' and Daily Prophet Editor-in-Chief and you're always going to be a war hero and owner of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. Our kids will always be in our shadows. I feel like naming our baby James or Lily will just make it worse. Like people will only see my parents reborn instead of the kid themself. Do you get what I mean?"

George considered this. It rang with truth and he agreed with his wife that he didn't want their child to grow up like that. There was no way to live up to the dead. They lost any flaws when they died.

"So we need to think of names then," he murmured. "And we could use your parents' names as middle names. That way we could still honour your mum and dad while giving the baby their own name."

Mari brightened. "Yes, that sounds brilliant," she agreed enthusiastically. She waved her wand and a book, quill and some parchment flew toward her. "Angelina gave me a baby name book," she declared. "Let's do it now while Teddy's at Andromeda's house."

George was tempted to point out that Teddy was going to be staying at Andromeda until the baby was at least three weeks old for the sake of some sanity remaining in the house but didn't. Mari would get upset and start worrying that Teddy would think she was abandoning him again. Nonsense of course but Mari was Mari.

"So let's look through the book and find our favourite names then, any preferences?" George asked.

Mari considered for a moment. "Well the only thing I feel strongly about is that in Mum's family, all the girls were given flower names. I want to keep that tradition. And I'd like the name to mean something instead of just sounding good, though that too of course."

George nodded and flipped open the book. "Let's get started then."

A week and a half, forty-six hours of labour, a broken hand and several threats of Mari hexing him impotent later, George was gazing the smallest and most amazing creature he'd ever seen.

"He's brilliant Mari," George whispered in awe.

Mari smiled tiredly but brightly. "Isn't he?" she agreed without lifting her gaze from the baby. "'m sorry I threatened to castrate you an' broke yer hand," she yawned. "I didn' mean i'."

George grinned. "Well seeing as Angie really did hex Fred," he replied. "I think I can forgive you." Mari nodded again her eyes drifting closed for a moment.

"We still happy with the name we chose then?" George asked.

Mari nodded again. "Yeah, I am anyway. Are you still happy?" George nodded.

"Definitely. Now how about I take our boy here and introduce him to his godparents while you have a rest," George offered. Mari hesitated, her grip on the baby tightening a bit.

"I'll bring him straight back," George promised her and finally she passed him their baby.

"Be careful with him," she instructed as her eyes drifted closed.

George left the room with the baby resting docily in his arms. In the sitting room, Fred, Angelina (who'd been the midwife), Neville, Pavarti and Lavender were waiting.

"Well?" Fred asked eagerly. "Ange only said it was healthy. Let's see my godchild!"

George grinned and adjusted the boy to let them see his small face and tuft of red hair. "Everyone," he began. "Meet Lucas James Potter, our son. Born 30th September 2003, weighing 7lb 73oz." No words had ever sounded sweeter in George's ear.

April 13th, 2005

Mari smiled down at her sons in the oversized bed she'd just enlarged. Newly turned seven year old Teddy had his arms wrapped around one year old Luke. Currently Teddy's hair was a bright blue colour with stripes of gold in it. Luke snuffled in his sleep and the sleeping metamorph's hair turned shamrock green.

"Mari," George called softly jerking his head. She left the room reluctantly, closing the door softly behind her.

"They're sharing?" George asked with a raised eyebrow. Mari nodded.

"Teddy wanted to," she explained. "Just for tonight though, 'cause it's his birthday." George nodded.

"I was thinking we could start thinking of baby names," George offered. "You're due in a month and we haven't really discussed it seriously yet." Mari nodded and they headed down to the living room, still decorated from the party.

"So for girls names," George began. "Do you still want to use Holly Lily for a girl?"

Marigold considered. It was a given that her firstborn girl would have Lily for a middle name, and holly meant hope in the language of flowers. That was the name they would've given Luke if he was a girl. Finally she shook her head.

"No," she decided. "It just doesn't feel right, giving them a name that we picked for Luke." George nodded and summoned the baby names book and the flower meanings list. "Let's start then," he said as he flipped them open.

Several hours later George slapped it closed again. "So we're happy then?" he asked his tired wife. Mari nodded with a smile. "A defender of man or happy life, Alexander Sirius or Peony Lily, perfect." George leaned over to kiss her gently.

On May fourteenth two thousand and five, the Potters welcomed Alexander Sirius Potter to the world.

July 6th, 2008

"I want a girl this time," Mari declared stubbornly.

"Hate to be the one to break it to you love," George replied with a grin. "But it doesn't exactly work that way."

Mari shot him an irritated look. "We have three sons," she stated flatly. "And I wouldn't trade Teddy, Luke or Alex for anything but I want a girl! I'm ridiculously outnumbered! If I don't have a girl this time, I'm transfiguring the baby!"

George hummed nervously and pulled the baby name book to him. "So names then?" he suggested weakly to change the subject. In her hormonal state, Mari might just end up following through with her threat unless he made her forget the insane idea. "If we're having a daughter, maybe just pick a girl's name? Give the powers that be a hint?"

Mari grinned at him and nodded. "Good idea," she smiled. "Let's start them."

On August twelfth, Mari got her wish when Camellia Lily Potter was born.

March 14th, 2013

"I can't believe we're doing this again!" Mari's voice was exasperated as she opened her baby names book. "Cammie's five!"

"It's not that bad," George pointed out. "This is a good thing don't you think?"

"Of course I'm delighted!" Mari insisted immediately, horrified at how she'd come across. "It was just a surprise and I'm feeling a bit exhausted at the thought of having a 15 year old, a ten year old, an eight year old, a six year old and a newborn to raise. And Teddy's going though this phase, and the Prophet's keeping me so busy. It's all just a lot to juggle, that's all."

George's eyes flashed guiltily. "I'm sorry I've been away so much lately," he apologized. "I know you've been struggling a bit while I've been setting up the shop in New York."

Mari shook her auburn curls immediately. "No, no! It's fine, the shop's important. And Angelina and the others have been godsends." She paused and looked away for a moment. "I just miss you," she admitted quietly. "And Teddy's been so angry lately, saying I'm not really his mother and that he wants to live with Andy. And the pregnancy hasn't been my smoothest. I could use your support." George pulled her close.

"Well now you'll have it!" he declared. "I'll be around so often that you'll be hexing me and tossing me under the Cloak to get a second's peace."

Mari snorted and tapped the book with a purple painted fingernail. "Good," she said firmly. "Now, names time."

George nodded and readied the quill as Mari started reading out different suggestions.

The Potter family was completed on November third of that year with the arrival of Acacia Luna Potter.

"She's gorgeous Love," George whispered huskily and Mari glanced up at him with a radiant smile.

"Isn't she just?"

"Happily ever after?" George asked with a grin. Mari laughed softly at the reference to the Muggle fairytales she preferred to read to their children over the Magical.

"Happily ever after," she agreed. The quiet moment was interrupted by the chaotic entrance of their three sons and eldest daughter.

"She's so small!"

"Why's she so red?"

"Is she really my baby sister Mummy?"

"What's her name?" Teddy's voice broke through the cacophony, making Mari smile as she looked up at her elder kids.

"Everyone meet Acacia Luna Potter, your baby sister." And as the Potter kids crowded around the bed to get a better look at their youngest sister, Mari decided that this memory would easily fuel a hundred Patroni at once. Happily Ever After indeed.

 **AN: Lucas: Bringer of Light-(Biblical)**

 **Alexander: Protector of Man (Greek)**

 **(White) Camellia: Purity, Love between mother and child**

 **Acacia: Renewal, Fortitude, Pureness**


End file.
